Harry was very good to me and used to assist me financially, and I made a promise to him that if I ever wrote a song and published it, I would put his name on the copies and share the proceeds with him.

In a 1933 interview, he added: 'The words and music of the song were written in the Newmarket Tavern, Corporation Street, Stalybridge on 31st January 1912, during my engagement at the Grand Theatre after a bet had been made that a song could not be written and sung the next evening. I have sworn affidavits in my possession by Bert Feldman, the late Harry Williams and myself confirming that I am the composer. He would write it down on music-lined paper and play it back, then I'd work on the music a little more. They were all 95% my work, as Mr Williams made only slight alterations to the work he wrote down from my singing the compositions. Judge said: 'I was the sole composer of 'Tipperary', and all other songs published in our names jointly. However, Williams' family showed that the tune and most of the lyrics to the song already existed in the form of a manuscript, 'It's A Long Way to Connemara', co-written by Williams and Judge back in 1909, and Judge had used this, just changing some words, including changing 'Connemara' to 'Tipperary'. Dispute įeldman paid royalties to both Judge and Williams, but after Williams' death in 1924, Judge claimed sole credit for writing the song, saying that he had agreed to Williams being co-credited as recompense for a debt that Judge owed. Feldman published the song as 'It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary' in October 1912, and promoted it as a march. Judge sold the rights to the song to Bert Feldman in London, who agreed to publish it and other songs written by Judge with Williams. The song was originally written and performed as a sentimental ballad, to be enjoyed by Irish expatriates living in London. The following evening, 31 January, Judge performed 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary' for the first time, and it immediately became a great success. In January 1912, he was performing at the Grand Theatre in Stalybridge, and accepted a 5- shilling bet that he could compose and sing a new song by the next night. Judge was a popular semi-professional performer in music halls. Because Judge could not read or write music, Williams taught them to Judge by ear. Many of the songs were composed by Williams and Judge at Williams's home, The Plough Inn (later renamed The Tipperary Inn), in Balsall Common. Judge and Williams began a long-term writing partnership that resulted in 32 music hall songs published by Bert Feldman. He had developed a talent for writing verse and songs, and played the piano and mandolin, often in public. Williams was severely disabled, having fallen down cellar steps as a child and badly broken both legs. Judge met Harry Williams (Henry James Williams, 23 September 1873 – 21 February 1924) in Oldbury, Worcestershire at the Malt Shovel public house, where Williams's brother Ben was the licensee. Jack Judge's parents were Irish, and his grandparents came from Tipperary.

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